A simple video, with simple facts about the over the road (OTR) truck driver. The truck driver is an integral part of society and the American economy, endures working conditions most Americans would never put up with, yet are often overlooked and stereotyped in negative ways. So next time you see a trucker, give him or her a friendly smile and a wave (using all fingers).

Music credit: Epic Score (www.epicscore.com)
Music Title: I still have a soul
*Download from iTunes*

i do 10 days out 4 … i do 10 days out 4 days home, i tried to get out of long haul but i was miserable, lasted﻿ 2 years and got back into it, i am single with no kids so its easy for me but the road is addictive even with all the pit falls of long haul. guys that have a young family, man i dont know how they can handle it but it is addictive plus i have %1000 job security

the 1500-2400 a … the 1500-2400 a week are o/o…. you think thats a lot of money ?….let that engine go out that can cost 10,000 or more and im not talking about down ,just the engine alone. i was a o/o for 6 yrs its a very hard job just to keep that truck up and running and to make that kind of money these days after fuel, you have to run hot if you can find companies with strong freight !!! freight is very soft and fuelk is very high ! this would not be the kind of money u can bring home﻿ every week !!!

@IrishChris1979
… @IrishChris1979
Sorry…I meant cubicle. I also wanted to let you know I am not knocking your video or anything. ﻿ I was just stating what my friends who drive OTR told me. I respect all truck drivers for what they do for us and what they go through. Take care and sorry for all the comments. -Chris

This job is not for … This job is not for everyone. One other thing, I think a lot of the owner opps are making less than the company drivers now because of the high price of fuel and oil. I’m not﻿ positive about that, but my friend who drives OTR said he wouldn’t want to do it until the price of fuel went way down. Again, I’m not sure, these are just opinions.

Ran out of room. I … Ran out of room. I hang out with these guys when they are home. Generally, they drive for 2-3 weeks and then they are home for 3-5 days. I know every company is different obviously. They love their jobs because they’re not stuck at a desk or cubical with a boss breathing down their necks. They get to travel and see this beautiful country with a great view. They﻿ all say it’s hard work though, all the driving at different times, the waiting, the DOT, being away for so long ect ect.

I have a Class A … I have a Class A CDL.﻿ I used to drive locally before I got into my current profession. I am good friend’s with six OTR truck drivers and every single one of them make very good money. One friend of mine works for Crete as a dry van driver. Most of his loads are no touch freight. He’s making over $65k a year. This is his 4th year driving there & 5th year overall. They all have great benefits, most have 401k & profit sharing as well. If I didn’t have a wife and child I would do this myself.

@LiquidGoldSwords I … @LiquidGoldSwords I answer all those questions and more in my blog.﻿ Go back to my very first blog post when I introduce myself. That’ll answer all the questions you posted. truckingtruth (dot) com/trucking_blogs/author/truckermike/

@WigWagProductions … @WigWagProductions Given the fact the you went to university, was it hard for you to cross the line and become an OTR trucker ? How long did you take to convince yourself it was the best option ? I guess there were other office jobs (in line with﻿ your degree) that you could have chosen instead of the one you had at that time. And also how did you explain your choice to the people around you, and how did they react ? Were there truckers in your family or your entourage ?

Great video! The … Great video! The music is awesome and﻿ I love how the crescendo starts right when you say “we love the view” did you do that on purpose? Totally awesome and I love how you﻿ can still hear the CB in the background!

@ConservativeEyes … @ConservativeEyes Ah, thanks for the clarification. I didn’t think he was OTR based on the salary you stated. But he is doing a VERY tough job in﻿ the oil fields. I imagine he is required to live there as well? But yes, for those interested, the booming oil fields in North Dakota will take just about anyone with a pulse and pay you an excellent salary. Making 80 to 100k is easily achievable if you can handle the work (most can’t). So I stand corrected. Typical OTR drivers won’t make that pay.

@ConservativeEyes … @ConservativeEyes As far as the “several truckers” that you know who are making $1500 – $2400 / week, they are either owner operators﻿ and that is their GROSS income (before expenses) or they are driving for carriers that require them to load / unload their own freight. It’s possible they have MANY years of experience and got onto a specialized carrier. Otherwise, to make that kind of money, they are running illegally working 100+ hrs per week. That kind of money isn’t the norm by any means.

@ConservativeEyes … @ConservativeEyes The minimum wage comment definitely struck a cord with a lot of people. I’ll try to explain it again as it appears you aren’t a trucker so I don’t expect you to understand. We do a ton of work for free and off the clock. Yes, in the end we do ok, but we also work 70hr+ work weeks on top of many, many hours sitting and waiting at shippers / receivers for free. I made about 43k last year. Many of my hours worked﻿ were for less than minimum wage (note: I didn’t say ALL hrs worked).

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